Modesto, California

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doubled its population since 1970. Its name can be traced back to a San Francisco banker, who "modestly" (Spanish "modesto") declined the suggestion that the town be named after him.

Modesto, established in 1870, possesses a row of Victorian houses dating from that time, a natural history museum (1100 Stoddard Avenue), a post- office decorated with murals from the depression years (1125 I Street), a museum of local history (1402 I Street) and a railway station built in the Spanish mission style, now used only for freight (J & 9th Street). A two-day balloon festival is held in the middle of September. In the immediate vicinity of Modesto are numerous lakes, offering extensive facilities for water-sports (Modest Reservoir, Turlock Lake, Lake Don Pedro). The town was also the scene of the well-known film "American Graffiti", the director of which, George Lucas, hails from Modesto.